Garment closure and method of making



Feb. 4, 1964 w. G. MOGEHEE GARMENT CLOSURE AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed March 7, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 William 6. Mc Ge/ree IN V NTOR.

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Feb. 4, 1964 w. e. M GEHEE GARMENT CLOSURE AND METHOD OF MAKING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March '7, 1961 Fig. 4

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Feb. 4, 1964 w. e. MQGEHEE 3,120,004

GARMENT CLOSURE AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed March 7, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. /0

William 6. McGe/ree I N VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,120,004 GARMENT CLOSURE AND METHOD OF MAKING William G. McGehee, 4005 San Nicholas Ave, Tampa 9, Fla. Filed Mar. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 93,994 1 Claim. (Cl. 2-234) The present invention generally relates to garment construction and more particularly to a garment fly closure for incorporation into mens trousers together with a novel method or procedure for forming the fly closure.

Specifically, the present invention relates to a fly closure for a garment incorporating a slide fastener assembly therein which considerably simplifies the procedural steps in forming such a closure without detracting from the appearance, strength, durability and laundering characteristics. While the invention is specifically described in connection with mens garments, it is also adaptable for use in womens garments which employ a slide fastener type of closure.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a slide type garment closure in which the procedure includes the joining of the front of the garment from the bottom of the slide fastener to the inseam and at the same time forming a tape across the saddle for reinforcement thereof. This eliminates the necessity of the additional operation of sewing down the tape at the edge of the saddle seam to the crotch.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a procedure in forming a fly which includes the facing of the front on the right side at the same time sewing the slide fastener down and joining the fronts from the bottom of the fly to the inseam, taping the saddle and placing the tack through the tape and back at the bottom of the tape.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the inside of the blanks employed in one form of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the inside of the blanks illustrating one step in the procedure of forming a fly;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the inside of the finished y;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse, plan sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 illustrating the structural arrangement of the completed structure;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse, sectional view illustrating structural details of a modified form of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 but illustrating a modified form of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 but illustrating another form of the invention which is slightly modified;

FIGURE 8 is a transverse, sectional view similar to FIGURE 5 but illustrating the construction of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the inside of the blanks of another form of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of the inside of the completed product formed from the blanks of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 11 is a transverse, plan sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 11- II of FIGURE 10 illustrating the structural arrangement of the device.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a pair of blanks viewed from the inside including a left side blank 10 and a right side blank 12. On the left side blank 10, a notch 14 is provided at the 3,120,004 Patented Feb. 4, I964 upper edge to show the fold back for the fly. The inner edge 16 of the blank extends vertically and is provided with a curved lower edge portion 18 terminating at an inwardly extending notch or slot 20 and an outwardly curved concave edge portion 22 as illustrated specifically in FIGURE 1. The edge portion 22 terminates in a downwardly and slightly curved and outwardly inclined edge portion 24. The right side blank 12 is provided with a vertical inner edge 26 and an inwardly curved concave lower portion 28 with an inwardly extending notch or slot 30 being formed therein which is in alignment with the slot 20. The lower edge portion of the blank 12 is provided with a slightly concavely curved and outwardly inclined edge portion 32. as illustrated in FIGURE 1. As illustrated, the fronts or blanks are cut in pairs and the left front 10 is used as illustrated without change and in large sizes both fronts would be cut like the front 12 for both right and left sides and a separate fly piece would be cut for the left side only.

In FIGURE 2, the first operation on the left side 10 is the stitching of the slide fastener tape 34 against the outside surface of the left side 10 with the fastener elements 36 being disposed toward the outer edge or remotely from the edge 16. The slide fastener and the adjacent portion of the left side is then folded back generally along a vertical line extending from the bottom of the notch 20 and the notch 14 in order that the slide fastener will be as illustrated in FIGURE 2 with the bottom portion of the slide fastener curved slightly as illustrated toward the notch 20. The right hand panel 12 has the right slide fastener attached thereto with the slide fastener tape being designated by numeral 3% and the interlocking fastener element designated by numeral 40. The curvature of the bottom of the edge 26 causes the lower edge of the slide fastener 38 to also curve inwardly toward the bottom of the notch 30.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the inside of the finished product which illustrates the setting of the facing and the joining of the right and left fronts and taping to the inseam. The facing 42 is attached to the right side of the front with it being inserted in the seam of the tape and this includes the setting of the bar tack 44 which is in the form of a staple through the slide fastener and the left fly and also through the seam of the saddle at the crotch. With this assembly, the facing 42 extends across the saddle thus taping the saddle at the same time that the facing is attached to the right front and at the same time the fronts are joined together along the saddle.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the raw edge of the slide fastener tape and also the raw edge of the front may be turned into the facing 42. Also, the facing may merely be turned into the seam of the tape without being attached thereto.

The assembly illustrated in FIGURES 1-4 produces a fly closure in which the facing is attached at the same time the front blanks are connected together and at the same time, the facing extends over the inseam and forms a tape for the saddle.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate a modified assembly in which the blanks are the same as employed in FIGURE 1. However, in this construction, the facing 46 is sewed to the right side of the front and the stitching is continued at the bottom of the slide fastener and continued so that the facing is used as the tape across the saddle. In FIG- URE 7, the right front 12 is reversely curved at 48 which receives the reversely curved edge portion 50 of one edge of the facing. The other reversely curved edge portion 52 of the facing 46 is disposed exteriorly of the slide fastener tape 54 whereby a single stitching will attach the facing to the right front 12 and to the tape 54. In the structure illustrated in FIGURE 8, the manner of attaching the facing is the same as in FIGURE 7 and illustrates the staple at the bottom of the fiy.

Note in FIGURE 5 that a separate fiy 56 is provided for the left side only. This fly and slide fastener would be serged on and then the procedure would be the same as in conjunction with the garment closure formed in FIGURES 1-4. FIGURE 6 illustrates a braid type facing 57 which may be used instead of folding the material of the blank and this provides a much neater facing.

FIGURES 9-11 illustrate a modified form of the invention in which the left fly is attached to the front in the same manner as in the other forms of the invention and the same reference numerals are applied. However, the left back 60 is attached to the left front 10 at the inseam 62. Correspondingly, the right front 12 is attached to the right back 64 at the inseam 66. In FIGURE 9, the facing 68 is attached to the right front and the slide fastener has been attached to the notch 30 and the facing has been sewed to form a tubular facing but it is not attached to the front below the notch 30 whereby the facing 68 is used as a tape across the saddle. Also, FIGURE 10 illustrates the seams for securing the fronts and backs together at the inseams 62 and 66 and the facing is sewed down across the saddle with the seaming continuing to the top of the waistband all in one operation, with this seaming designated by numeral '70.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A garment closure comprising a left front panel and a right front panel, a slide fastener tape attached to each of said panels, slide fastener elements attached to the tapes for interlocking engagement with each other, the tape on the right front panel being attached with the fastener elements extending along the edge thereof, the tape on the left front panel being attached to the outer surface of the panel adjacent the outer edge thereof and the outer edge then being folded inwardly whereby the fastener elements are then spaced inwardly from the folded edge of the left front panel, the edge of the left front panel having the tape thereon being free of connection with the panel, a facing attached to the right front panel in overlying relation to the slide fastener elements when fastened, said facing extending below the lower end of the slide fastener tapes and forming a tape for the saddle of the garment, said facing, the inwardly folded portion of the left front panel and said tapes being secured to gether by a staple at the bottom thereof, and a single seaming extending from the top edge of the right front panel throughout the length of tape thereon and down across the saddle and crotch for attaching the right front panel, tape thereon and facing together in one operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,136,702 Markin Nov. 15, 1938 2,155,795 Markin Apr. 25, 1939 2,166,092 Galloway July 11, 1939 2,232,332 Levy Feb. 18, 1941 2,607,922 Stein Aug. 26, 1952 2,650,366 Knotter Sept. 1, 1953 

